THAT NIGHT, A GREEN FOREST GREW

THAT NIGHT, A GREEN FOREST GREW

Everything started on that particular summer night, the 12th of June, when the Iranian regime decided to betray the vast majority of its own people. On that night something remarkable was about to happen. Those who were heavily involved in their vicious plot were unable to see the grave consequence of their actions. They thought, they have envisaged all the possibilities and they were prepared to sacrifice everything in order to fulfill their dream. However, there were green shoots of a future forest growing in front of their very eyes and they could neither see nor wanted to believe in what was happening. The germinating seeds of this forest were planted a long time ago, when the regime had lost touch with people at the grass-roots level. It happened when the regime had decided to ignore the basic of human rights and the dignity of human being. The forest was growing fast and it was too late to stop it. Therefore, the regime made another mistake, the most belligerent axe men were sent to grind the whole forest down. What a monumental and impossible task!

The unprecedented civil right movement of the Iranian people has been criticized because of lack of leadership; a leadership with clear ideas, techniques and goals to serve as a guide to the nation. However, contrary to how it appears, the campaign against the disputed election has a unique characteristic which distinguishes it from all other similar movements. In this uphill struggle, every single person has a unique opportunity to organize, command and lead at the same time. By using modern ways of communication the rules of engagement are discussed, criticized and then finalized and are ready to be implemented. It is unbelievable how well orchestrated some of these demonstrations have been during the last couple of months by using this technique. Unlike the velvet revolutions in the former Republic of Soviet Union, this campaign is totally home grown and independent from foreign powers. History will hail this campaign as an exceptional one with unprecedented success.

Having said all that, this campaign is a tenacious movement and it is crucial that it remains so. The indestructible spirit of this campaign has so far been the key to success, therefore it is imperative to keep this spirit alive and create a united front against the regime. This is absolutely essential to overcome this bitter sense of disappointment by believing in what we can achieve with the sentiments of unity. We should all remember that the tree is more than first a seed, then a stem, then a living trunk and then a chopped off timber by the axe man. The tree is a slow, enduring force straining to win the sky.

Shahin M